Taqwa – Piety

This is an action of the heart. What is At-Taqwa and how can we manifest it in our actions.

Darimi – Hadith Maoquf of Imaam Ali (ra) said ‘Taqwa is to fear from Allah (SWT) and to follow the revelation and satisfy with a little and to be ready for the day of departure’

This includes four pillars of Taqwa:

1. Al-Khawof min al-Jaleel - Fear from almighty Allah (SWT) exclusively

This talks about the ahkaam of Khawof. Fearing Allah (SWT) is one of the noblest forms of worship. Allah (SWT) says that the one who fears him (SWT) is the one who is eligible for Jannah. Those who have fear will have closer relationship to Allah (SWT). Some of the fear is haram, some recommended, some is shirk and some fard etc…everyone has a different angle on fear.

With this Imaam Ali (ra) restricted fearing from anyone other than Allah (SWT). When fearing from anyone else we will therefore not use the word Taqwa. If you fear from anyone else that is the hidden shirk.

This fear is the one which manifests in the heart, but can sometimes be seen physically. When Musa (as) came to the court of Phiroan, he stood up out of fear (although he never stood for anyone before) – Hamaan said ‘Shall I tie him?’ he said ‘No, but keep him away from me’

[Shirk Jali is that which can be seen clearly – like going to the court or making Tawaaf around a grave. The other one is Shirk Khafi which cannot be seen, like fearing another along with Allah (SWT)]

2. Al-A’mal bil-Tanzeel - Implementing the wahi

To act upon and fulfil all the revelation. The revelation could be Qur’anic or Prophetic. We must act upon the Qur’an and Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Sunnah (i.e. Sahabi understanding and sayings).

3. Al-Qana’ah bil-Qaleel - Satisfaction with the little

To have satisfaction. There is a saying that ‘conviction is a treasure which never finishes’. To accept whatever Allah (SWT) has kismet for you. The one who has no Qana’ah he will live all his life in confusion. The reason is to believe that Allah (SWT) is the provider. The fear from Allah (SWT) is manifested in the Qana’ah.

4. Al-Isti’daad Liyoum Al-Raheel - Preparing for the day of departure

To be ready to leave the country. When a person doesn’t know when his departure day is he should be ready all the time. When the Sahabah were asked if they were ready for the day of departure no one rose his hand, even though they have been promised Jannah – because they said to the Messenger Muhammad (saw) ‘you said that we are on the last action we do and we do not know what that will be’Abdullah Ibn Masoud (ra) talked about ‘O you who believe! Fear Allâh as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islâm with complete submission to Allâh’ [EMQ 3: 102]

If you want to truly fear Allah (SWT) [he said three things] he spoke about ‘…Itaqillaha haqqa tu qaatihi…’

Abdullah Ibn Masoud (ra) said that the truthful Taqwa has the following:

– To be obeyed and never disobeyed

You must obey Allah (SWT) inner and outer by your heart, tongue and limbs.

(ii) Al-Zikr - To be remembered and never forgotten

To remember him, his names and commands in all matters. You make Zikrullah with your tongue by speaking the truth and trading without cheating, to ask what the punishment is for a crime – all this is Zikrullah. Zikr is one of the names of the Qur’an. This is therefore to remember Allah (SWT)’s rights and commands in all spheres of life.

(iii) Al-Shukor - To be thanked and not to be ungrateful towards

We thank only Allah (SWT) and all the thanks are for him and there is no thanks to other than Allah (SWT). Even when we say Jazak Allah khair we mean may Allah (SWT) give you khair who facilitated your action towards me etc…

To thank Allah (SWT) in all spheres of life. Allah (SWT) gave us many ne’am and the biggest one is that he made us Muslim.

Tamaam ul-Taqwa - The complete Taqwa.

Abu Al-Darda gave us another Ilm.

He said this is for the servant:

To fear Allah (SWT) exclusively to the level of an atom’s weight of deed – whether good or bad (these being defined by what Allah (SWT) says is good or bad).

Ahl Ul-Taqwa - The pious people

He must obviously be Muslim to begin with.

So who is the Mutaqee – who is the man of Taqwa, i.e. has true, complete Taqwa. The Mutaqeen will always be in Jannah.

Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) said ‘Those who fear Allah (SWT) in case they left some of what he ordered or did some of what he forbade’.

So he isn’t just the one who doesn’t do the haram but the one who fears from doing it when it comes and is facilitated for them and they reject it.

Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) – said ‘How can I be a man of Taqwa if I do not know what Allah (SWT) forbade?’

From Abu Hurairah (ra):
They asked Abu Hurairah (ra) ‘define Taqwa for us’ he said ‘let me tell you a story about Taqwa – if you are in a road and there are a lot of thorns on the road, at the end of which there are all the fruits and you go every day and return back. How will you fair on it.’ He said ‘I will keep avoiding the thorns in order not to hurt myself and all the time I will be concerned that I may hurt myself and on the way back I will do what is necessary to avoid them and they are always different’ So Taqwa is the way to avoid the haram in life and to have the hardship and do all the duties.


Jazaak Allah Khairan for reading.

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